


The Passion and the Pain

by TheMythicalBeats



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Angst, M/M, No-Strings-Attached Arrangement, Sexual Content, Strong Language, rhink, serial
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-01
Updated: 2016-01-31
Packaged: 2018-05-17 13:23:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5871259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMythicalBeats/pseuds/TheMythicalBeats
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rhett thinks his and Link's no-strings-attached arrangement is going quite well, until Link's strange behavior says otherwise. Now because of jealousy and unrequited love, their entire relationship with each other is on the verge of crumbling.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Another Rhink story I've written last year.

When Rhett noticed that Link hasn't been his perky self lately, he thought it was just one of those days where his best friend wasn't feeling it. Even Rhett's had days where he was out of his hyper groove, so he figured this would pass and Link would return to bouncing off the walls in no time. Sure, the episodes they'd record for Good Mythical Morning would lose just a bit of the dynamic joy that was always expressed, but Rhett knew the low energy from his bosom friend would only be temporary. He didn't think much of it. For the most part, he would only have to wait a day for Link to grow out of his fagged mood and feel like his old quirky self again.

This time was a far cry from those short lived days, and there were signs given by Link that came to Rhett's attention that told him something was wrong. That Link's mind was fixated on something more poignant than not having a normal sleeping cycle. The thought that Link wasn't getting a good night's rest was checked off from Rhett's mental list of reasons for his strange attitude, since no evidence of bags under his sky blue eyes were presented. Rhett then began to think of other reasons for why Link wasn't being the Link he grew up with for most of his life.

Link's bizarre depression stretched on and on like an elastic band, going from what Rhett would have thought was only going to be one day turned into almost two weeks, and the level of his concern raised more and more everyday. He worried for Link's well-being, the future of Good Mythical Morning, and their public image as a label. Even the crew and fans saw that things weren't at ease like they use to be. Rhett decided he'd play Sherlock Holmes and attempt to crack the code. Everyday he'd confront Link with questions for what could be the cause of his predicament, starting with the day that marked the third week of his distressed phase.

On Tuesday, Rhett asked if there were troubles with his wife Christy or the kids. Link told him that everything is fine at home.

On Wednesday, he asked if everything was all right health-wise, like was Link sick with something serious that he wasn't telling Rhett. Link assured him that he is as healthy as can be, both being thankful for that.

On Thursday, Rhett questioned if things were in good condition financially, even though he knew that this couldn't be a weight on his shoulders since business is booming with all of the sponsorships they were receiving, and with all the fan that they were getting, the numbers multiplying by the hundreds. Link told him that the money was good, and that his family is being well taken care of before Rhett could even ask.

On Friday, Rhett even went as far as to ask if Link was feeling suicidal or felt like harming himself. Link told him that he would never do such a thing, and that Rhett should know better than to assume he'd even do something so absurd like kill himself, and that he was getting fed up with his questions. Link felt so interrogated by him that he stood up from his desk and stormed out of their shared office so fast it all happened in a second. Rather than run after him, Rhett stayed where he was at his own desk, frozen in position with shoes flat on the floor and fingers on the keyboard and eyes fixed on the empty seat Link had just evacuated.

What the hell was that, he thought to himself.

Then, there was the cumbersome attempt to demonstrate consolation...another way. Rhett would brush his knee against Link's here and there when taping episodes. He'd wait until there came an appropriate opportunity to approach with the sign of affection, hoping the other would get the gist and return the chaste action. It's felt so once upon a time since they've played footsie under that desk, or stole coquettish glances with each other, or made connections of another sort...

There was a time when something apart from the brotherhood and amity they've built together did sweep over them - something so far beyond any feeling they've come across. Something so powerful that it couldn't be shaken off easily, and they became possessed by the unexplainable emotion on the evening they were staying late at the studio finishing up work. It was the after hours, and their eyes were tired from staring at computer screens, and the heavy alcoholic fluids that they've consumed began to take effect. The abundant amount of beer did most veritably awaken their senses, and Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal were soon drunk with liquor and lustfulness.

All sense of reality was lost as they gave into an act of sin, and their naked bodies collided on the hard floor of their office. Breathless pants and moans full of blasphemy to a God that was shamefully being defied bounced off the walls of the tiny room as hot skin pressed against skin, thrust after thrust. Though it was nothing but an intimacy influenced by inebriant substances from before, and an exploit the most pious of people would label as damnable and scandalous, Rhett and Link exchanged gasped declarations of love with each other.

Afterwards, when sober, both had to have a serious talking to, confused about how to feel or what to do about the events from the night before. Yes, they were drunk out of their minds, and they can blame it on the late hours as well. However, when they questioned if it should be forgotten of, both said that they couldn't bring it upon themselves to do so. It was disgraceful, but they did enjoy the turn of events. They liked how they felt about it. Hell, it all felt so welcoming; the messy yet impassioned kisses they exchanged, the way their sweaty bodies moved together, the beautiful symphony that was orchestrated when their voices joined together in moans and such. Even when the men came down from soaring so far beyond the sky they were so enthralled. If all of this was to be let go of it would feel like they were robbed of something so valuable to them.

So, an agreement was settled. They would still keep the vows they've made to their wives and go home to them, and only the workplace is where they'd have their little maneuvers. Rhett and Link do love the beautiful women they have given their lives to, and it was now certain they would have this friends-with-benefits arrangement on the side, and best keep it a secret from their spouses for the sake of their marriages and each other.

On the other hand, Rhett often found himself thinking back on that night, remembering how he told Link he loved him over, and over, and over...and for a moment he'd wonder if it was actually true. He'd question if it was the alcohol that made those three little words slip from his lips like a bar of soap in two hands, or if they came from deep inside him. Did he have drunken sex with his best friend, or did he make love to him and the heavy liquids just masked the experience for something far different that what it really was?

Nevertheless, now that Link seemed so down and out, Rhett felt that those stolen moments were never going to be restored. Link wouldn't even make eye contact for more than two seconds with him. He wouldn't even dare to look at him, almost pretending the other didn't exist anymore. When Rhett would attempt to hold his hand or make any physical contact, Link would just say nothing and bypass his offer by stepping away as soon as he felt even the slightest touch from him. He wouldn't even talk to Rhett unless it was him who started up a conversation, and not even those would last a while, resulting for the room to take up quite an amount of quietness for the longest time. When they'd collaborate on new songs or what they should talk about the following week on Good Mythical Morning, they always went with whatever Rhett had in mind since Link didn't appear to be interested in anything at all.

The drive to and from the studio would be nothing but music playing from the radio of Rhett's car. Link didn't even want to be the one driving them to their destinations anymore, and he always insisted on being the passenger while Rhett was the driver, not saying a word to each other the whole time. The incommodious silence would feel like a bed of nails to Rhett, and the lack of communication in any way would leave him feeling pained and ignored and confused, but most definitely pained. He missed his best friend dearly, yet Link was never physically gone to begin with. He was still there with him, but not completely _there_.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the italics part is a flashback.

Rhett lay in their outdoor lounge chair under the cool April night sky, his hands resting on his abdomen and his body felt at total ease as his breathing was steady. Though he felt so relaxed all over, his thoughts were on Link again, as if they had never left. His never-ending concern for Link had caused him to become restless in bed, and he kept tossing and turning until he surrendered to his insomnia and unwrapped himself from the covers and made his way downstairs and out into the backyard. He knew that he was going to look so fatigued in front of the camera tomorrow, and maybe then would the day's episode would be a disaster due to a lack of activity to go with the ongoing deprivation of communication from his co-host.

How their relationship had come to this, Rhett hadn't got the faintest idea. Everything felt so upside down, like he was on an episode of The Twilight Zone about a thirty-seven year old man who is invisible to no one but his best friend when he doesn't even know it until it's confirmed in the last three minutes. It all felt so out of place, and he was so frustrated because he didn't know why Link was ignoring him.

Rhett feasted his enervated eyes on the stars that spread so far away from each other in the dark night. He noticed that one out of the thousand stars up there was shinning its light the weakest. The gleam was so faint, like a dying light bulb, only this little guy couldn't be swapped out for a new one. "Are you exhausted, too?", Rhett asked the star. "Make that the two of us. I hope your name's not Linkstar, friend." He felt a lump in his throat form after he said that last part, but he didn't let it keep him from carrying on the conversation. "You'd be the brightest star that ever did shine in the evening sky, and the most beautiful out of all of them, because you're one of a kind. Just like the man I'd name you after."

\-------

 _"Rhett," Link muttered through a yawn as he got out of the car and stretched out his long legs and back, "what're we doing in the valley when it is literally tomorrow?"_

_"I wanted to give you your birthday present a little....early." Rhett gave a chuckle at that as he fetched a small tubular leather case from the glove compartment of his car, opening it up and taking out a little device in which was transformed into a spyglass telescope when he stretched it out completely._

_Link rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Yeah, I can see that is your motive, but can't you wait until the daytime? You know, when everybody is awake?"_

_"Isn't it obvious that this can't be received in the daytime?" Rhett stood beside Link, showing him the object in his hands. "You're gonna need to use this baby here."_

_"A spyglass? Why would...Rhett, did you get me a star?"_

_"A star."_

_"An actual star?"_

_"Indeed I did." Before Link could give a response Rhett brought the astronomical device's eyepiece to his eye and pointed it up to the black velvet sky. Link watched him adjust the telescope's settings while moving it left and right with his head, muttering under his breath while searching for this star._

_"How are you even going to find it with it being one of, like, a thousand white specs up there?", Link catechized, almost challenging him._

_"Oh, I'll find it. Just you wait."_

_"How do I know that you are not pulling my leg here, man, that this isn't some bull?"_

_Rhett sighed as he stopped what he was doing to walk back to the car, opening the glove compartment again, then closed it rather forcefully. He returned to his position next to Link, and he handed him a folded white paper, in which Link took without further questions. "Are we done playing this game?", he asked him._

_"Um, yeah. I guess."_

_"Good." With that being said, Rhett went back to hunting down the said gift. "I'm trying my hardest to make everything perfect."_

_Link unfolded the paper, which was in fourths, and held it so close to his face to read the transcript even when they were surrounded by darkness and he hadn't brought his emergency pair of glasses. He gave up and walked to the car, switching on the interior light. Once he did so, he was only then able to find out what the paper was - an official star naming certificate template. In the largest font there was read "Star Deed" in fancy lettering. Link's eyes only got to skim through the paragraph where he would've seen what his star was named when Rhett gave a "ha!" and gestured for Link to come over._

_"There it is! Take a look!"_

_Link met up with him and he was given the telescope. "Where is it, then?"_

_"Just feast your eyes on the brightest star you ever did see."_

_Link put his eye to the eyepiece and did some searching on his own, mentally cursing Rhett for his lack of instructions. It took Rhett a while to spot the star, and it took Link just as long until he noticed one that out-shined all of the others. He adjusted the telescopes settings to see better, and once it was only that specific one that appeared in his view he opened his mouth. "Is that one it?", he asked Rhett, pointing his finger._

_"That's the one.", he answered. "Do you like it?"_

_Link felt a smile spread across his face, baring his upper teeth. "Yeah, I like it. I really do. It's real pretty." He gave a small laugh. "You picked a beautiful one, one of a million."_

_"You know what I named it?"_

_"Chiasquach?", Link joked._

_"Not exactly, but it does have to do with you.", Rhett answered, seeing that Link didn't get that far in the certificate. "It literally has to do with you."_

_"Well...is it a nickname you've given me?"_

_"Just one, and I call you it every single day."_

_"Everyday, huh?" Link went through all of the mental files he had stored in the memory cabinet in his brain for what it could be, coming up short at every try. After a few minutes, he felt like he had got it at last. "Is it just Link?"_

_"Close." Rhett put his hand on the telescope, lowering it away from Link's face. "It's Linkstar."_

_Link turned his head to face Rhett, not noticing how extremely close their noses are from touching. He felt his brows raise a little from astonishment. "Seriously?", he gasped softly._

_"Seriously serious."_

_"Just...Linkstar?"_

_Rhett rolled his eyes. "Oh come on, man!", he half-whined. "I named a freakin' star after you, and a bright one too, and you're disappointed about what I named it? Cut me a break!"_

_Link laughed. "Relax, Rhett. I never said that I was disappointed." Link glared up at the night, glad to be able to see his very own star without the help of a spyglass because it literally was the brightest star he ever saw. "I actually love it. You literally named a star after me for my birthday." He rest his hand on Rhett's shoulder and looked up at him, smiling. "It's a great birthday present, too. Thank you, Rhett."_

_Rhett smiled back at him, relieved that all his effort had paid off. Even though it was almost pitch black where they were, he could see that remarkable smile Link has, one that Rhett loves to see on his face. As for his eyes, he could see a bit of a sparkle in them as well, as if they had stars of their own. He wanted to embrace him in a secure hug, but because he was so caught up in this moment he couldn't control what direction his mind was going. "Can we make out right now?" Rhett felt his face flush warmly after what had just come out of his mouth. Another thing was that he was not even joking around with Link, like that's what he felt like they should do._

_"Seriously, Rhett? Really?" Link couldn't help himself but to begin laugh hysterically, shaking his head once again. "Man, you kill me! I'm thanking you for giving me a very kind gift, and all of a sudden you want us to suck face?" He paused to wipe the tears from his eyes as he continued to guffaw. "Oh you've really got me tickled!"_

_Rhett kept a grin for the sake of the moment, but inside he felt a little torn that Link was laughing at him for that. He forced a chuckle. "Yeah, I really did.", he said. He couldn't have been more thankful that it was so dark that Link couldn't see the painful expression on his face. "I really did."_

\--------

"Baby?"

Rhett didn't notice that he had fallen asleep until he felt a shove on his right shoulder. He looked up to find his wife standing on their patio beside the chair in her white robe, her long dark brown hair tucked behind her ears. The sky was still a black velvet and most of the stars from before had disappeared, and the full moon was the only source of light there was. Its bright light reflected off of Jessie, and from the angle Rhett was looking at her from she stood like an alluring angel from the high heavens as the moonlight outlined her, as if it was her halo.

"Jessie, what're you doing up right now?", Rhett mumbled as he rubbed his eyes.

"I woke up to find that you weren't in bed, but you weren't in the bathroom.", she answered softly. "What're you doin' out here so early?"

"I couldn't sleep.", Rhett said as he sat up, twisting his back out.

"Are you still worried about Charles?"

"Yes. I just don't know what's going on with him, honey. He's never ignored me like this, and I'm starting to think it's something I might've done."

"Why would you think this has anything to do with you?", Jessie asked. "He may just be going through something that he can't even tell you."

"That's exactly why I may be the one with the fault here, Jessie!", Rhett exclaimed. His voice came off as too forceful than he intended to, and he apologized softly to his understanding wife. He rubbed his eyes again, groaning from the loss of sleep and frustration with himself. Not with Jessie, not with Link. Himself. "If there was something that's been dragging Link down, he'd tell me everything right away. That's what you're suppose to do with your best friend that you've known for your whole life, right? That's how it's always been for us. Now, Link's acting like I don't exist anymore, like...like he doesn't even know me at all."

Jessie knew her husband can get quite emotional at times, coming close to tears or already letting them slide down his face from his sorrowful eyes without putting up a fight to hold them in. This exact moment in their backyard in the wee hours of the next day was one of those times, as she was forced to see her other half give up on holding down his fort of mental durability, hearing his voice chip and seeing his sunken faddish green eyes beginning to intensify their stare. Seeing Rhett's wall gradually coming down right in front of her made her want to almost wave her white flag as well, but as his wife and the mother of his two children who are sleeping upstairs and even being a woman, Jessie knew that she had to be an Iron Lady for him.

"Rhett," she began to say, taking his hand into hers and placing her other hand on his face," you shouldn't lose sleep over this, and you shouldn't beat yourself down either. You don't know what's going through his mind, only he and possibly Christy do." Jessie kept her delicate yet soothing hands where they were as she got on her knees, still right beside Rhett in his recliner. "If he feels he needs to tell you of his dilemma, then he will at his own time. This shouldn't be any different from when he'd come to you for help or just to talk to somebody who he knows will listen. He will come to you, and he will open up, but when he is ready. You have to be patient, Rhett."

Rhett gave a slow nod as he rest his face in his wife's hand, closing his eyes to take a breath, a tear each making their departures from his enclosed eyes. He opened them again, and he turned his head to the right, locking his eyes with Jessie's gentle brown ones. "I love you so much.", he said. "How you manage to stay strong for the both of us...I just don't know how you do it."

"Somebody's got to be, it's called being your wife." Jessie smiled at him and he smiled back, and when she kissed him he did the same with her, as if he was mirroring everything she was doing. "Now let's go to bed."

Rhett knows his wife is a strong woman, putting all of the previous dames before her to shame as he knows that's she will always come out as top. Yet, for whatever strange reason that he was not quite sure of, Rhett felt like Jessie's own fort was going to be challenged.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, italics is flashback.

Rhett took his wife's words of wisdom to heart, and had decided that he was going to wait for Link to approach him like Jessie had advised. Having this possibility in mind, he was able to surpass the same ticklish atmosphere between Link and him, and even rest easy during the night, telling himself that tomorrow might just be the day. Rhett promised that he was going to stop his constant worry for his bosom friend so that he may only have positive thoughts, no over exaggerated ideas to overwhelm him around the clock.

Yet in defiance of having been told to be patient, sensing that Rhett would have had to wait a century for Link to say just one word to him at last, the waiting game he was playing hadn't drew long. Surprisingly, the cracks in his and Link's relationship had begun to gradually amass just a week after Rhett and his wife's talk on their backyard patio. When he had picked Link up for their daily commute, nothing could have prepared Rhett for what passed through the other's once guarding lips.

"G'morning, Rhett!", Link greeted as he got in the passenger seat.

What took Rhett by storm the most was that the choice of words sounded so sprightly, and not dressed in a monotonous tone, or even nothing at all. It was so strange to hear Link speak a word or two to him after having gone through another week of loneliness, another week of feeling like he was talking to a brick wall, that Rhett just had to make sure he had heard Link correctly.

"What did you say?" Rhett had even questioned him with a tone of disbelief.

"G'morning, Rhett.", Link had repeated. He looked at the man in the driver seat and even gave a small nose exhale. "Can't I give you, my best friend since elementary, a proper greeting?", Link catechized. There may have been an emphasis on "best friend since elementary", but Rhett hadn't caught on. It all felt so alien to him, like he's never seen the green-blue hues of Link's eyes, or has never heard the sound of his voice until this very moment in the car. What a bizarre miracle that just seven days after speaking with Jessie, Rhett's presence is finally being acknowledged.

"O-oh sure. Of c-course.", Rhett stammered as he proceeded to glare at Link bewildered. Was this for real, he thought. Was Link actually speaking to him, and not pretending that he wasn't a part of the same atmosphere as him? Was Rhett's never-ending hope of rekindling their friendship toying with his mind, forcing him to feel like this fantasy was actually a reality? Was he only dreaming in his and Jessie's bed in the dawn hour? Was-

"Rhett.", Link had spoken out, interrupting the other's hamster wheel of thoughts. "We're going to hit traffic on the freeway and be so late if you don't start this car. Like, right now."

Rhett slowly nodded as he came to, clearing his throat with total complexity. "Yes, of course." With that being said, he put the key in the ignition, then backed out of Link's driveway.

\----

Filming the day's episode had went so remarkably well that Rhett still felt like he was living in an alternate universe. He didn't care though. Link seemed to be back to bouncing off the walls as he told one corny joke after another, even succeeding at making Rhett chortle along with him. The two were even back to agreeing with one another's point of view on the day's topic. What's more, when the crew had joined in during Good Mythical More it felt as if they were now allowed to approach their bosses at any time without worrying about starting a fire.

Rhett and Link seemed to be getting along together once again, and Rhett felt like he had his best friend back after waiting on him to return from a long hiatus. It was like the skies had cleared up and the sun was finally showing itself after having been denied entry into a whole new world for so long.

\----

"Man, what a day!", Link joyously stated from across their Denny's table. "Another awesome game episode for the mythical beasts."

"Even though you only got 4/9?", Rhett joked. "I totally thought you had the one about the old lady with the pet cheetah in the bag."

Link shrugged. "Come on, Rhett. How many bizarre stories have we come across? We've heard it all by now. That dangerous pet round just to be true!"

"Maybe in a Disney movie, it might." Rhett picked up a seasoned french fry from his dish before taking a pause. "On second thought, Princess Jasmine was already ahead of the game with that tiger of hers."

"Yeah, you've already established that today. And I know I lost the game, you don't have to give me a recap."

"I was just so happy that we got to see Herb again, even if it was just for today. I think the mythical beast enjoyed seeing you writhe while that little critter crawled all over you. I know I sure liked watching you shudder." Rhett sipped his Coke while giving Link a teased smirk, even winking an eye at him. It may have been a friendly joke, but he also wanted to consider it playful flirting - in a way that a part of him hoped Link would catch on. Considering that he missed their "special arrangement", keeping the hope that the other hasn't forgotten all about its existence alive.

Link only gave him a small 'ha' and rolled his eyes. "Yes, I know. You all love to laugh at my pain. Funny thing is, I'm still feelin' energized even after all of that!" He did a little jig in his seat just to prove his statement, even scatting.

"I can see, and I'm taken by surprise.", Rhett remarked. "It's been a while since I've seen you be so off the wall. What gives? Did you have a good breakfast or something?"  
"Exactly that! Christy made me it - eggs, sausages, and even bacon. That's not all though! She even got up extra early to whip up some biscuits! Could you believe that?"

Rhett widened his eyes. "Well! That's real sweet! I guess you could call that a marriage goal, your wife risking sleeping in just to fix you up a grand breakfast."

"I said to her, 'Honeybee, you sure give all the diners a run for their money'. I sure am entirely grateful for her effort, because what a great job she did! It sure filled me up until right now."

"Might I ask what the occasion is that Christy spent her morning slaving over the stove and oven?"

Link grinned. "No occasion."

Rhett shot him a confounded glare. "You expect me to believe that she went through all that trouble just for the hell of it?"

"Christy didn't spend all that time making me breakfast just for the hell of it, Rhett.", Link answered back, his voice suddenly adapting a defensive tone. "She just did it because she loves me, and she wanted to do something nice for me." There was force on the word love, and for some odd reason Rhett felt bothered by it being used in a sentence that had to do with Link's wife caring for him. But that's what she's suppose to do though, because Christy technically is Link's life partner by law, so why should Rhett feel so offended by this?

"Oh, well excuse me.", Rhett said with sarcastic intonation. "I just think it's a bit deviant to make your husband a huge Southern-styled breakfast when there's nothing to celebrate, and if my facts are correct, it's nowhere near you two's anniversary."

"Rhett, Christy just made me breakfast. That's all." Link began to appear miffed, casting a very serious expression. "I mean, who made you breakfast today? Doesn't Jessie do anything special for you?"

Now it was Rhett's move to defend his wife. "Of course she does, Link, but I don't ask anything of her-"

"Yeah, well neither did I!", Link furiously exclaimed as he cut Rhett off. "Did I say that I asked Christy to cook me breakfast? No, I fucking did not! I didn't request Christy to get up at five in the morning so that she could make me eggs, sausages, bacon, and biscuits. It was a surprise! Excuse my own wife, the mother of my children, for expressing her gratitude!"

Rhett saw that he had poked the hornet's nest, and the diners around their table began to place their attention all on the two men. He should have known that Link's cheerful attitude wouldn't last long. He shook his head. "Just when I thought you were finally going to start talking to me again.", Rhett said softly, feeling as guilty as a child being caught writing on the wall with a Sharpie.

Silence filled the air between him and Link, both not even touching their almost empty plate of food or drinking their respectable beverages. They didn't move at all. Once again, the solitude felt like ages to Rhett as he awaited for the other to say a word or two to him to end the thorniness that was their lunch-out. When he set his eyes on Link, his own we're on anything but Rhett. He seemed to be in the middle of contemplating something Rhett couldn't have a clue about, and he didn't dare interrupt him. It was better to leave well enough alone.

Then as if it couldn't have came at a more impeccable time, their waitress had made her way to their table with her obviously staged welcoming smile. "How's everything over here, gentlemen?" She wasn't quite youthful, yet the woman wasn't so elderly either. The woman, whose name tag read Erica Sanchez, appeared to be somewhere in between her late thirties and prime forties, yet surely old enough to have a sterling ring where it should be to indicate her status. Fortunately her age didn't show in her ombré hair as it was styled in a high ponytail.

Assuming in the woman's question she meant their meals. Seeing that Link was still transfixed in his own personal bubble Rhett took it upon himself to answer her. "The meal is fantastic, thank you." He gave a small smile in hope that it would mask the awkwardness, even having responded with a tender tone of voice.

"And are you both staying for dessert?", the waitress asked.

"Um." Rhett checked Link for any sign of change in expression, but when seeing no difference on his part Rhett gave a heavy sigh. "We'll let you know."

With a slow nod and a blank look on her face, the waitress left them alone to tend to her other guests. Feeling sorry for the poor woman and embarrassed by the scene that took place, Rhett decided that he had enough. "Link, you have to talk to me! I am so fucking done with you not saying a word to me. For almost a month I've felt like I've been talking to a brick wall. I am not having this again!"

At last, as if breaking the spell, Link's eyes met with Rhett's, and he gradually nodded. "Alright. What do you want me to tell you?" His voice sounded chipped from the momentary silence, and even rough.

"I want you to tell me why you've been avoiding me. I've asked you several times why you've been acting so strange. If it's nothing serious, then why have you been ignoring me?"

Again, Link slowly nodded, taking in Rhett's questions. "Okay then." He sat up right in his seat and cleared his throat. "Well, for starters, you should know that I never meant anything by not talking to you. It was never my intention to ignore or disrespect you in any way. If I did hurt you, then I want to apologize."

"Well alright, I accept your apology Link. I'm not looking for that, though. I want answers."

"Fine then, here it is." Link ran his hand through his short jet black hair and sighed. "Now I know it feels so long ago, but do you remember the last time you and I...got together?"

The phrase took Rhett by surprise. "By that, you mean...you mean when we-"

"Yes, yes I do."

Rhett did his best to recollect just exactly when it was that he and Link last lay together. He couldn't remember the precise date, but the more Rhett thought back he realized that the sex was approximately the same time Link took his vow of silence. What's more, the memory of what they did made itself known, coming out from a storage far away in Rhett's brain - and soon he was remembering everything.

\------

_The volume of their moans, sharp gasps for breath, and erotic vocabulary elevated all throughout the motel room, and the air became extremely thermal due to their bodies giving off so much heat. Sweat had latched itself to Rhett and Link's bodies, making them even more sticky than they already were, having already had each other once before going for another go._

_Proceeding this no-strings-attached arrangement could no longer occur in the workplace since almost the entire Mythical crew had found about the two men's hidden affair, and they didn't want to risk getting caught and having to explain everything to another shell-shocked staff member. In the car was not an option because there wouldn't be an easier way to shield themselves from any possible bystanders or to hide the evidence, to say the least._

_Motel and hotel rooms would do just fine since it is no secret that their invisible eyes have seen similar ordeals, so why not jump on board._

_Link rolled his head back as he quickened his thrusts, clenching the bed's headboard for dear life has he rode Rhett and the wave of pleasurable ecstasy. He couldn't mouth any words or phrases as his mind was scrambled, focused on the rhythm of his hips, but Rhett fulfilled that job. As he guided Link's sharp rocking hips with his strong hands placed on his rear end, Rhett showered his best friend with meaningful, affectionate praises, making him feel so loved and wanted. A best friend who just so happened to be grinding his pelvis on Rhett's manhood in a lecherous motion._

_"Ah...ah you feel so good, Link! So good!", Rhett heavily groaned, slapping his bottom raw._

_Link, still unable to form a sentence, only responded with a hoarse moan deep from within his throat. His closed eyes, flushed cheeks, quickening breaths, and hung open jaw was a beautiful sight to Rhett, even increasing his arousal more. He licked his lips and continued his words of affirmation. "Link, you're s-so beautiful...mmm, so beautiful! You're just amazing." The bed began to shake and squeak as Link was sent over the edge and into a spasm, his grinding faster and faster, and both went into a fit of whimpers as they were close to their own orgasms. Rhett sunk his sopping head into the pillows, squeezing his eyes shut and biting his bottom lips so hard until it hurt. "Yes! Oh, my god, yes!", he screamed. "Oh, Link, I lo-"_

_Before Rhett could get the word pass his trembling lips Link gave a high-pitched shriek as he gave one last thrust and came at last, resulting in Rhett losing control and release himself with Link._

_After being frozen in their current positions for about six minutes and had caught their breaths, Rhett cupped Link's warm face and gently brought his head to his. They kissed each other passionately slow to treasure every second, soft moans vibrating in their throats. They made the kiss last because after this was over the boys were to go back to their own respectable homes, back to their families, and back to their everyday routines. What's more, the next day was Saturday, and they wouldn't be seeing each other until Monday morning._

_As their lips parted ways Rhett looked into Link's glowing blue eyes and moved his bangs away from his face. He suddenly was overcome with dejection at the thought of going home and leaving all of this behind, which puzzled him. This wasn't the first time they had sex like this, remembering the deal they had made. It was only the weekend, just two days, to even make time for their families. That was also part of their negotiation. This was only suppose to be just casual sex, something to get out of their systems time to time...wasn't that all it was? Yet, as Rhett continued to lock eyes with Link, he could tell that he felt the same. Confused and not being able to control his grief, Rhett let a single tear run down his face. "I...I don't want to go. I don't want to leave this bed.", he said softly._

_Link turned Rhett's hand and kissed it tenderly, his eyes getting watery with sorrow as well. "Neither do I, but we have others to tend to."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the angst in the smut.


	4. Chapter 4

"I do remember that time, Link.", Rhett finally said, his state of mind transporting back to where it should be, in a Denny's restaurant in the present.

Link nodded, a serious expression still on his face. "Well the day after that, Christy and I called in a babysitter so that we could have some time with just the two of us." His pensive countenance slowly faded as he began to recollect the memory, and Link's stern tone was now gentle. "We went out to eat at The Cheesecake Factory down on Sunset Boulevard, and the dinner was just so amazing. The meals, the bread, the wine, and even the cheesecakes were just perfect. It was such a beautiful night, so I said to Christy 'Let's go take a walk on the Santa Monica Pier to digest everything,' so we did just that. We just walked around on the boardwalk, watched people ride the attractions at Pacific Park, walked on the sand of the beach and...talked." Link's voice fell softly at that last part, as if it was something that was hard for him to believe.

"Talked?", Rhett asked, feeling his heart miss a beat and paranoia rush over him. "Not about us...right?"

"Oh no, no! Nothing like that at all.", Link reassured him.

Relief washed over Rhett. "O-oh, okay then.", he sighed. "What about, then?"

"Well...we just reconnected in some way.", Link answered. "Christy talked about how well our children are doing with their homeschooling, and I told her that it's because she's a great teacher to them, and an amazing mother too." A small smile found its way to his kind face. "She enjoyed hearing that, of course, but when I had said that I meant it. I meant it with all of my heart, and I already know, without a doubt, that Christy's an amazing woman."

"Okay, but don't you always tell her this?"

"Of course I do, Rhett. That was only the beginning, though. As the night went on Christy and I were soon having real conversations, like we could tell each other anything. We even laughed at each other's jokes, corny and stupid as some were, and...it just felt real good to be together that night." Link took a pause as he became sunny with recalling the date night, his smile growing the more he spoke. "I-I couldn't remember what it felt like to hold Christy's hand until I took it with mine that night. I couldn't remember what it felt like to kiss her for more than three seconds until I did on that night. Everything just felt great, and I didn't know if I was dreaming or not. Our date night made us feel so reborn."

Rhett should have been happy for him and Christy because they got to have some quality time together, and that Link had rediscovered his love for his wife. Truth is, Rhett had found himself to be uncomfortable with it, and slightly envious. He shouldn't be. Link and Christy had a date night, and Rhett can certainly have the same with his own wife, and he can feel the same way about her. Why was he so bothered by Link's happiness?

"Then," Link progressed, "we were driving on home, just recapping the night, when that song God Only Knows from The Beach Boys played on the radio. We were quiet enough to hear the words, and the more I listened I realized that God really does know what would become of me if Christy wasn't in the picture. The thought of having a life without her scared me deep inside. I asked about her take on it, and she said exactly what I thought she would say, that God only knows."

Rhett staged a soft-hearted smile, but he was mentally rolling his eyes at the cheese Link was spreading on him. Give me a break, he thought to himself.

"It only took me until we had gotten home and...well, got in bed that I had fallen in love with Christy all over again - and I'm glad I did."

Rhett noticed a red flag in that bit. "W-woah, wait up. D-did you two...have sex?"

Link chuckled. "Well, I would like to call it making love, Rhett, but yes."

"But you two did it. You had sex with her. You had sex with Christy!" Rhett did his best to not raise his voice, but he could feel the strange exasperation in him grow.

Link felt himself blush out of embarrassment. "Rhett, Christy and I are married to each other. We love each other and we want to show it. We have the right to do that, you know." He then looked away from his friend, not meeting his eyes. "That's just the thing.", he said softly. "We're married. We're allowed to copulate with our spouses freely, unlike when there are other circumstances." Sternness had returned in him.

Surprised by the remark, Rhett cocked his head back and frowned. "W-what's that suppose to mean?" He didn't have to wait for the answer. Judging by the way Link spoke that last part, he already knew the answer. In vexation, Rhett shook his head. He had lost his patience. "No. You know what, screw that. I need you to tell me what all of this has to do with you not talking to me for two months. You never answered that question, so quit stalling and just tell me!"

Link turned his gaze back to him. "Fine, you got me.", he said, almost shouting. "When Sunday came, I knew that I was going to see you the next day, and I actually had mixed feelings about that. I didn't know if I should have felt glad or apprehensive, but I couldn't get one or the other. I wanted to see you even when I didn't at the same time."

At that moment, Rhett felt his heart drop ten-thousand feet. "Why didn't you want to see me? I-I don't understand."

Link sighed heavily, shaking his head in a disapproving manner. "Rhett, this arrangement we've made with each other has to stop. It just needs to stop."

"Stop?"

"Our 'one-on-one business' needs to end. We can't...we can't keep on with it anymore." Link spoke this in a whisper so that only he and Rhett could hear.

In his mind, every word from Link's sentences were nothing more than deride echoes to Rhett. A rush of iciness zipped through his blood and he felt the color from his face drain, possibly becoming very pale due to shock. "W-what?! Link, we...I...I can't believe this!" Rhett could not control the fusion of surprise and dismay in him, causing him to outburst without giving a damn about his surroundings.

"Why are you so upset about this, Rhett?", Link argued. "Don't you think what we've been doing is infelicitous to both our marriages?"

"No!", Rhett answered. "The whole point of this was for us to fool around with each other then go back to our families and pretend...like it all n-never happened." Rhett began to get choked up, causing his voice to crack and his sentences to break. Though try as he might to hold up his inner masculinity, he could not fight off the sorrow burning in him.

"Yes.", Link agreed.

"But I can't!", Rhett bellowed, making Link and everyone watching flinch with alarm. Fiery tears flooded Rhett's eyes in an instant and he was blubbering like an infant. "I don't want to forget everything, Link! Those moments with you and I together, like together-together-"

"Are you out of your fucking mind, Rhett?!", Link incredulously interrupted, completely blown away by Rhett's behavior. "You were happy with the arrangement?"

"I thought you were happy too!", Rhett argued.

"Well I was, but-"

"But what, Link?! What?!"

"But now I'm not!", Link shouted back, losing his own temper. "I was happy with this whole thing, believe me! It brought us closer together, literally, and I couldn't ask for more. Now, I can't do it anymore. I've fallen in love with Christy again, Rhett. Don't you love Jessie?"

Rhett didn't stall on the answer. "Yes, I do! You know I do, Link, but I love you just the same." He felt damned for confessing this, but it was a relief to just get the feeling out in the open. Even if it meant catching Link off guard.

"Rhett."

"I love you, Link! I love Jessie _and_ I love you!"

"Well that is just _too_ bad for you, Rhett! You can't have one _and_ the other! Marriage doesn't work that way."

"And you don't think I already know that?!"

"No, I don't think you do!", Link shout back. "You are 6 feet 7 inches of moronic daydreamer. You want everything that you can't have. You are crying in public and expect me to go weak in the knees because you are in love me just like you are in love with your own wife. You expect me to be thrilled that I'm involved in your sick love triangle, but I really am not. I'm not convinced."

Just as Link finished and Rhett was finally left with nothing else to fight with, their waitress had returned to their table, her expression and tone a mixture of apology and sternness. "I'm sorry gentlemen, but I have just been advised by the manager that you must leave the restaurant. Your outbursts are disturbing the other diners."

"That's fine, m'am.", Link answered, keeping his own tone steady while apologizing. "We're finished here anyways. Just give us the check to pay and we'll be off."

\----

Rhett and Link didn't say a word to each other after leaving the Denny's, and it became quite obvious that after the events that took place Link wanted to go home. Or, to Rhett, be anywhere he wasn't. He wanted to say the same for Link. Yet, despite the radio playing on full volume, music had nothing on the absence of casual conversations, laughter, brotherhood, and happiness. Rhett had hoped things between him and Link would get better, but the thing about hopes is that they shouldn't have been bet on at high rates. Everybody knew that, and Rhett was one of them, yet he still gambled his hopes.

The days of silent carpooling were not over, and Rhett should have seen it coming.

At a stop light Rhett turned his head to Link's side, whose own was also to his right side, leaning against the window and watching people walk along the streets. They were living their own lives as the world outside Rhett's car merrily span round and round. There were people both have never met smiling and laughing, some with others and some by themselves. They were happy, while these two men were the opposite.

Rhett finally pulled into Link's driveway, but before his passenger could break free Rhett spoke what was the first sentence in over several minutes. "If it's her you want then have at it, but I am not going to keep on playing this game."

Seeing as Link kept his head straight, facing the front of his home, he exhaled a sigh that clearly meant he took the hint. "I think...it's best we don't see each other for a while", Link said, his voice low with dolor.

Sharing the same feeling, Rhett nodded. "Makes sense." He could have sworn the last piece of his heart had fallen to the deepest pits of his soul when he said this. Only he may not have a soul anymore.

With Rhett's response marking the end of their short-lived talk, Link unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the passenger door. He closed it, and walked up the driveway. When he unlocked the front door and entered his home Rhett wasted no time and pulled out of Link's driveway. As he got on the road Rhett dreaded going to his own home. He felt like he needed to get away from social interaction after the events of today. He looked at the time shown on his dash; 8:23.

With replaying everything that just happened in the last three minutes, Rhett needed to pullover some place to be alone. Judging by how strong the waves of his anguish were, he needed to find a rest area fast. Rhett turned left onto the freeway and drove along until he had found a sign for an upcoming dry riverbed, then followed the road that was paved especially for him. Within a couple of minutes, he was parked alongside the gate separating his car and the deserted riverbed.

Seeing that he was alone and away from other cars, freeways, city buildings, and people, Rhett finally let those afflicting waves toss him aside as he began to easily sob inside his own car. "God damn it!", he screamed. Heavy tears slipped down his face and his body shook violently. Rhett balled a hand into a tight fist and pressed it against his lips, causing his sobs to come out as muffled groans. With the last of the energy left in his aching body, Rhett let out a long agonizing yell that became another choking cry.

His world was now crumbling down on him, hard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feels.  
> Feels, everywhere.


	5. Chapter 5

The night sky was now blanketed with a dark velvet color with stars scattered around. Rhett's head had stopped its intense throbbing, and the burning in his eyes and throat from the many tears wept and clamorous screams cracked had died down as well. Still, he sat alone in his car, contemplating on where he should go from here, moving-on wise. From out of the blue, a quick 'zoop' went off, and Rhett immediately recognized it as his iPhone's text tone. To his horror when he took the device out of his front pocket, the phone's clock read 10:47, and under it was a text message from Jessie:

_"Where are you?? It's almost eleven."_

Reality came crashing down on Rhett, hitting him upside the head. He realized that he had been sitting in his car alongside an empty dried out riverbed that was miles away from Los Angeles buildings for two hours, and now his wife was messaging him. With quick taps on the screen keyboard, and repeatedly muttering a word of obscenity in panic, Rhett responded to Jessie by saying that he was on his way home...then absentmindedly added that he was going to explain everything when he does. After hitting Send and starting up the engine, Rhett drove away from the riverbed and got on the road back onto the freeway.

Rhett knew for sure that he had to be completely honest with Jessie, and tell her exactly what was going in with him and Link. His much needed breakdown had left part of him calm from letting all the bottled emotions out, and his frustration with the situation came and went. Now he just had to think of how to explain every detail to his own wife, but by the time Rhett had reached his driveway he had drawn so many blanks.

Once Rhett was inside he carefully walked up the stairs so as to not wake up the boys and startle Jessie. He slowly opened Shepard's bedroom door, and smiled warm heartily when he saw his little boy sleeping like a rock, snoring softly. With gentle steps, Rhett entered the dimly lighted room and bent down beside his slumbering son's bed. He placed a gentle kiss on Shepard's head, said a soft 'I love you', and walked out. After doing the same thing with an equally sleeping Locke, Rhett finally walked into his and Jessie's bedroom, finding her lying in bed and turning her head to face his direction. He gave her a quiet 'Hey' and joined her in the bed, not even wanting to strip down to his underwear. All he wanted was to be with his wife, wrap her in his strong arms, give her a meaningful kiss, speak with her, and perhaps cry into her shoulder if he had any tears left in him.

"I never thought I'd want to be home so badly.", Rhett mumbled, placing a kiss on the bridge of Jessie's nose. His beard tickled her skin. "I didn't even want to see anybody after this afternoon, but now...I'm so glad I'm here with you." His voice trembled after that, and he did not dare stop himself from letting a couple salty tears run down his face. After the breakdown earlier, Rhett did not mind crying anymore. He would rather let his emotions take the wheel.

"I take it you got the answers you were looking for, but they weren't what you wanted to hear.", Jessie said, running her fingers soothingly through Rhett's hair. "What happened, Rhett?"

"Link and I...we had a major fight, Jessie. It was pretty bad." Rhett exhaled heavily, and decided to just out with it, to put himself out of his misery. "We've been having relations with each other after work, or at least...we use to before Link got all quiet." Rhett paused after this to let Jessie take in every word.

As calmly as she could, with a voice so lull, Jessie asked, "Was it everyday after work, Rhett?" There was no doubt in his mind that she was taken by surprise.

"No. J-just when we felt like it...oh, my god, Jessie!" Rhett began to sob again, silently out of guilt this time. He held Jessie closer to his body, indeed crying into her shoulder, wetting her night shirt's sleeve. "It was only sex, Jessie, only suppose to be sex. I kept telling myself that. I still love you forever, baby, always will. I-I'm so sorry!"

Jessie moved the hand in Rhett's hair down to the side of his face, stroking him reassuringly and going "shh-shh-shh" as if to quiet down a small child. "Rhett, please calm yourself or you're going to wake the boys.", she said.

Rhett took her word and he reduced his weeping to sniffles. "I still want to stay married to you, and I still want the four of us to be a happy family. But now...I want Link to have that same place in my life, and that's impossible."

"Are you in love with him?", Jessie asked.

"Jessie, you know I love you, and I'm happy being with you. Every time I tell you, it's never a lie."

"I know, Rhett.", Jessie said understandingly. "I got that, I believe you. But you say you want Link in your life as well, as if you two's friendship isn't enough. So I'm asking you, are you in love with him?"

Rhett thought he knew the answer, even having blurt it out to Link in front of dozens of people, causing quite a controversy. His answer was a solid yes that time, and it sure as hell should still be a solid yes. Yet for some reason as Rhett lay in bed cuddling his wife and was speaking to her, that confident response from hours ago was now a yo-yo of yes to no, then yes again, then another no. "I-I thought I could say that I am, but now...I don't know.", he said more wistfully than with bewilderment. "I don't know anymore."

Still remaining calm, Jessie said, "Okay then." She returned her hand to brushing Rhett's hair with her fingers. "Well you've had one long, and rather eventful, day. No doubt you're exhausted all over, so why don't you sleep on it, hmm?"

"If I go to sleep, will I wake up to find you where you are now?", Rhett asked, his voice now full of hope.

"I don't know if I can promise that, Rhett."

"Jessie-"

"I mean, I got young mouths to feed in the mornings, so it's hard to say if I'll still be in bed." Jessie gave Rhett a teasing grin, and she cupped his face again. "As of loving you, so long as you do your job as my husband and the boys' father, I'll always stand by you. No matter what you decide after tonight."

Sighing out of relief, Rhett kissed his wife passionately, with her returning it to show she still loved him. At least he can sleep easily tonight knowing that he still has a wife and two children in the morning.

\----

Rhett was again brought out of his dream world by Jessie nudging him awake. When his tired eyes opened and saw her naturally fair face Rhett immediately grinned and brought his wife down to him for a kiss of both bliss and relief. They were still under the same roof together, and this pleased Rhett. When their lips broke apart and he looked at Jessie again that he noticed her expression; a look of aguish. Alarmed, Rhett asked, "What is it, Jessie? Are the boys alright?"

"They're just fine, babe. Shepard's eating in the kitchen and Locke's still asleep." Jessie's voice, however, matched her grimace, which confused her husband more. "Rhett," she went on, "come downstairs. It's...important."

"But I thought we-"

"It isn't about you and me. Just come downstairs with me and you'll see."

Millions of guesses ran through Rhett's mind as he tossed the bed sheets to the side and stood up. After twisting out his back and stretching his arms he followed Jessie down the stairs and into the main room, where it was like Rhett's soul had left his body.

Sitting on the sofa was Link, and next to him was Christy.

"Hi, Rhett!", Christy greeted. "Sorry if this is a bad time, but Charles and I just wanted to pay you two a visit for a while, if it's okay." She seemed cheery, yet Rhett wasn't sure if it was all an act. If Link told his own wife what they've been doing as well, only these two know how she took the news.

Rhett looked at Link, who nodded in agreement and gave a slight grin. No eye contact. "O-oh, it's fine.", he replied softly, trying to not sound too horrified. "Nice of you both to drop in." Rhett kept his eyes on Link, who at least didn't look too pestered to be in the same room with him like he was yesterday. Still, seeing him ten hours after all that went on with them made Rhett question if he should feel like he was lying on a cloud high up in the clear blue sky, or like he wanted to regurgitate. So much for it being best to not see each other for a while.

"Rhett," Jessie spoke up, "Link says he's the one who wants to talk to you." In that second, Rhett knew exactly what he felt like doing, dry heave out of severe anxiety. He could feel his heart pulsing within every millisecond, and his body temperature instantly rose. After all Link's said to him the afternoon before, what more could he possibly say to Rhett? He already felt smaller than his freakishly tall stature, and he wasn't sure how much self esteem he had left.

"Right.", Christy chimed in. "So if you'll excuse us little ladies, we'll leave you boys to chat." She got up from her place on the couple's recliner, but not before giving her man what seemed like a reassuring squeeze on the knee. Jessie gave Rhett her own reassuring gesture and kissed his cheek softly. Christy and Jessie left the living room to give their husbands some privacy, possibly going to the kitchen or any other room in the McLaughlin house, and possibly going to discuss the same topic as the men were.

"Don't think Jessie is a part of this.", Link at last spoke up, startling Rhett a little. "We caught her off guard at the door."

"Yeah? I could tell, she looked kinda worrisome when she woke me up." Rhett finally entered the huge room and took a seat on the couch adjacent to Link. He noticed that Link's eyes were traveling up his body, but there was no hint of sensual desire. Not that Link seemed unimpressed by what he saw, his expression was just unreadable. It was then Rhett realized why Link was eyeing him so, he still had on yesterday's clothes.

When finished observing Rhett, Link broke the ice by speaking up again. "How...how are you?"

It was a question Rhett never thought he'd have to think so much about. Emotionally, he was still fatigued from the previous day's soap drama. At least he was good physically. "I'm fine now.", Rhett answered Link truthfully.

"Yeah?"

"Oh yeah." Taking that Link was still confused by his clothes, Rhett went on. "I was just too lazy to change for bed. That's all."

"I see.", Link said. "Well, I...I'm glad you're okay, you know. Your well-being is always my concern." Link meant nothing but kindness when saying this, Rhett knew that, but he was eager to find out what the other was really here to do.

"Link, just cut the crap.", Rhett said with a no-nonsense manner. "What do you want from me? Why are you in my house? What did you bring your wife for, and what did you have my wife wake me up for?"

Link breathed a heavy sigh. "I brought Christy because she doesn't want to seem like a threat to you. I told her about...well, you know, and at first she was startled. And a bit pissed off, but she realized it wasn't necessarily adultery since I was still so faithful to her, so she let it go. When I told Christy what happened yesterday, she felt terrible for having been the cause of the drama. She feels like she owes you an apology."

Rhett felt his heart drop a little when he learned that Christy thought she was a victim, and he immediately regretted being jealous of her. He actually felt childish for thinking nasty of Christy. "She doesn't have to apologize for anything.", Rhett said softly. "I should be the one to say sorry to her. I don't want her to think I hate her, because I don't. I don't know why I was so threatened by her yesterday, I regret it deeply."

Link nodded. "She'll appreciate hearing that from you, get the weight off her shoulders. What about yours?"

"Jessie actually took it extremely well. She kept her cool and listened to me talk. She believed me when I told her I love her numerous times, and she forgave me in a way." Rhett really was fascinated by how understanding his wife is.

"Well, I'm glad our girls didn't give us the boot.", Link said out of relief. However, he still looked like something was eating him up. "I...I really do want to talk to you though, Rhett. Honest." Link's broken voice made him sound like a little kid being scolded for rude behavior. If Rhett's memory allowed him to go back that far, he remembered seeing First Grade Link Neal crying for being punished for tagging the classroom desk. He was just a small boy with a whole lot of innocence in him, and he didn't mean none when doing what he did. Just like how he means none when wanting to speak to Rhett in the present. "That's all I came here to do, just talk. It's not like I'm asking for a loan, or anything like that. I just want to see you."

"Well you came at a perfect time then." Rhett noticed the harsh sarcasm in his own response, and apparently Link did as well, as his elbows met his lap and he buried his face in his palms. The lens of his tortoise glasses made a little clink. Link wasn't crying, at least not loudly like Rhett had down numerous times yesterday. No sobs or sniffles were heard, so Rhett thought Link was just recollecting his thoughts. It felt like a couple minutes had gone by with him doing this, and Rhett sighed. "Link, I didn't say that out of meanness.", he said softly, almost in an apologetic way. "Just get out with what you want to say to me. I'm here now, I'm listening."

"I want to say that I'm sorry." Link uncovered his face, and it was then that Rhett saw bags under his eyes, even when Link wore his thick glasses. At that moment, Rhett felt guilty for being the one who had slept easily the night before. "I'm sorry for...for everything I did to you yesterday, from what I said and how I behaved. I wish I could take it all back, or just rewind and say anything else. I fucked everything up for us. I was such an asshole." As he came clean, Rhett saw that Link was becoming vulnerable with himself, so close to finally shedding tears.

"We both fucked everything up Link, and we were both assholes.", Rhett said. "I guess we just handled the situation poorly."

"Maybe.", Link replied. "What made me beat myself up about this afterwards was that I hurt you real bad. You were laying your feelings all out on the table, and I just shot you down. I made you feel like you were - "

"A clod? A sap?", Rhett cut him off. "You could have at least spared me the embarrassment, for my sake."

"You embarrassed me, too, Rhett!", Link exclaimed, and then he lowered his voice to not overwhelm their wives and possibly Rhett's own kids. "Well, I'll put it this way, since we were both in the wrong - we embarrassed ourselves."

"You really don't know how wrecked I was, Link.", Rhett said. "You might think you do, but no you don't. I took every raw emotion you made me feel yesterday and drove to friggin' nowhere. I sat in my car for two hours weeping buckets and thinking what I was suppose to do because one of the few important people I give a damn about was slipping away from me. I don't want to lose you, Link, I've been scared my whole life of losing you." Rhett began to get choked up from the raw emotion of panic again, only this time he knew how really terrified he was if Link was gone. Either from abandonment or death, if Rhett didn't have Link he would have lost his mind. Hell, just the thought of it already did.

Link stared at Rhett with his saddened blue eyes, and Rhett took it as Link finally understanding the emotional affect he afflicted on him. When he saw Link's bottom lip quiver, Rhett knew he hit Link where it hurts. They were now on the same page.

"I don't want to lose you either, Rhett.", Link said, his voice like that as if he was close to tears. "Besides Christy and my children, you and the bond we have mean the world to me. I want to save it, I want to fix it."

Hearing the words from Link made Rhett's eyes water in seconds worth, and it was then that he found the answer to Jessie's question from last night. Perhaps Rhett really is in love with Link, or it was in the spur of infatuation mixed with lust from all the sexual intercourse they've done. He was not too sure yet, but Rhett now knew that the tears shed for Link were because he could not imagine a life without someone like him. Rhett knew that he was never going to find another friend who made him feel like he was home every time he looked at them. He was never going to find another blood brother or anyone that felt like another brother to him. Rhett's had many friends over the course of his life, but they came and went as each stage of living passed.

Link was the only one who stuck with Rhett for so long. Rhett would never be able to replace him, nor did he ever plan to. He didn't want to.

"Well you're already here, brother. Why not start now?", Rhett said.

With that, Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal stood up in unison, and their arms snaked each other's bodies in a secure embrace that signified forgiveness and amicability. Their hug grew tighter, their hearts became warmer, and their bond grew stronger. As the friends held each other in their arms a tear or two fell from their eyes, but not from sorrow. The share of repentance was already behind the men, and they were at peace.

At peace because the torn seams of the tapestry of Rhett and Link's brotherhood were stitched up with thread that was as indestructible as their love.

At peace because they were not losing one another, nor did they have to fear it anymore.

At peace because the passion and the pain had kept them alive and free to have everything they wanted, to love who they wanted.

At peace because they were home.

\- The End -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone need a tissue?


End file.
